Cale Hunt

Cale Hunt

Contributor

Cale Hunt brings to Windows Central more than nine years of experience writing about PC gaming, Windows laptops, accessories, and beyond. If it runs Windows or in some way complements the hardware, there’s a good chance he knows about it, has written about it, or is already busy testing it.

Cale has published hundreds of reviews on Windows Central, and he's not afraid to give his honest opinion regarding everything from PC gaming hardware to Windows software and laptops.

This allows him to efficiently curate buying guides and product advice, giving readers a no-nonsense look at the options that will best suit their needs.

When he isn’t in his office writing, tinkering with tech, or gaming, Cale enjoys playing acoustic guitar (he’s a sucker for Bluegrass music), reading novels, tending the garden, and providing his two cats some much-needed attention.

Latest articles by Cale Hunt

Teenager boy wearing headphones sitting at desk, resting head on hand appearing tired while gaming on computer monitor with game controller and papers visible on table
Analog hobbies are back in style, and Windows PCs could play a big role

By Cale Hunt Published

PC PCs aren't phones, and that's a win for Windows. Will Microsoft lean into the trend?

9 Comments
PC
AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D boxed
Ryzen 7 7700X3D’s $279 price is misleading

By Cale Hunt Published

Hardware The new 7700X3D is cheaper than the 7800X3D ever was, but don't rush out and buy one quite yet.

Hardware
Samsung sign.
Samsung is jumping back into PC silicon, but not in the way you think

By Cale Hunt Published

Hardware Samsung is reportedly working on a new GAIA AI accelerator chip, and the standalone silicon could be yet another reason for Microsoft to scrap its Copilot+ certification program.

Hardware
A curved Alienware AW3426DW widescreen monitor displays a vibrant flower image on a wooden desk, next to an open laptop with a lit keyboard, books, and a potted plant.
Alienware upgraded its most popular QD-OLED ultrawide, and pictures don't do it justice

By Cale Hunt Published

Review The only way I want to play from now on.

Review
A modern Acer Nitro 65 desktop computer in a glass case with RGB lighting, showcasing internal components like a graphics card and cooling fans, alongside a bookshelf and a potted plant.
Acer's new pre-built gaming PC is a step above most big-brand options

By Cale Hunt Published

Review No pre-built gaming PC is perfect, but Acer's Nitro 65 is better than a lot of options out there.

Review
Macro shot of the circular Xbox logo power button on the corner of the console, under a purple metallic sheen.
What's the point of consoles if physical media disappears?

By Cale Hunt Published

Opinion PC gaming isn't perfect, but it certainly seems like the correct way forward in a digital-only world.

8 Comments
Opinion
A black Xbox 360 controller next to the red cover of the video game "Project Gotham Racing 4" and a silver disc with a racing car design.
Sony is killing PlayStation discs while the industry has no preservation plan

By Cale Hunt Published

Gaming The Video Game History Foundation is once again asking the ESA to give it a legal path to preservation.

4 Comments
Gaming
A modern HP OmniBook 3 silver laptop displaying a mountain and lake scene sits on a wooden table, next to stacked colorful books and a potted succulent plant.
HP's OmniBook 3 has the potential to be the best budget laptop out there

By Cale Hunt Published

Review At its cheapest (around $399 on sale), the OmniBook 3 16" is an easy recommendation. If only it were always on sale.

Review
XPG Lancer RGB
RAM makers are facing a new lawsuit for alleged price and supply fixing

By Cale Hunt Published

Hardware Samsung, SK hynix, and Micron are under fire for alleged bad business practices, and it's not the first time it's happened.

4 Comments
Hardware
A person holding a small black computer case featuring two USB ports and a power button on the front.
Custom Steam Machines are showing up online, but are they worth it?

By Cale Hunt Published

PC gaming It's a fun project to be sure, but most gamers are better off with real Valve hardware.

PC gaming
Collection of Corsair Vengeance RGB Pro memory box, several RAM modules, an XPG SSD, and a SK hynix M.2 drive on a dark wooden surface.
Here's when RAM prices could finally drop — and why PC retailers might not care

By Cale Hunt Published

Hardware Experts aren't offering a sunny forecast, and PC prices may not ever return to their "normal" state.

9 Comments
Hardware
Collection of PC components on a Matrix background, with the text "Last Chance!" in the corner.
From one PC builder to another, these are the best component deals I could find

By Cale Hunt Last updated

Deals It's hard out here to be a PC gamer, but these discounts help ease some of the pain.

Deals
Discounted tech products arranged on an outer space background.
Here are the most popular Prime Day deals, according to our readers

By Cale Hunt Published

Deals It's the final day of Amazon Prime Day, and we've been keeping an eye on the deals that are getting the most attention. I present to you the most popular deals this year, according to our readers.

Deals
Beelink SER9 PRo
These 5 mini PCs that can game start at $594, but sales end today

By Cale Hunt Last updated

Deals I know the Steam Machine is tempting, but do you really need to spend that much when these mini PCs are so affordable?

Deals
Tim Sweeney and Steam Logo
Epic CEO calls Steam's AI disclosure policy a "Scarlet Letter" that's harming developers

By Cale Hunt Published

Gaming Sweeney makes some good points about the gaming market's current asymmetry, but is AI the best solution?

14 Comments
Gaming
Geekom A8 design highlight
Geekom's best mini PCs with 16GB of RAM are on sale starting at $371

By Cale Hunt Last updated

Deals Geekom mini PCs are always a solid value, but Prime Day has knocked hundreds off regular prices.

Deals
A split image shows a bright yellow MacBook Neo with hands typing and an upward red arrow on the left. On the right, multiple Windows laptops display different screens with a downward blue arrow.
These 15 Windows laptops are up to 54% off as Apple raises prices

By Cale Hunt Published

Deals Apple just raised MacBook prices, and these Prime Day Windows laptop deals have never looked better.

Deals
An arrangement of Prime Day back-to-school deals on a stylish background.
It's the perfect time to prep a new PC for the back-to-school season

By Cale Hunt Published

Deals Prime Day is the perfect time to get your student set up for success without overspending.

Deals
The Lenovo Legion Go S on a desk, showing the Legion Space launcher.
Lenovo's Legion Go S is the answer to expensive gaming handhelds

By Cale Hunt Published

Deals The handheld gaming market can still kick up a few affordable gems, especially during major sales like Prime Day.

Deals
A Samsung 9100 PRO SSD displayed against a backdrop of a data center full of server racks. Highlighted features include "Gen 5 Performance" and "Massive Storage."
The cheapest SSD prices since February expire soon — I don't want you to miss 49% off the Samsung 9100 PRO

By Cale Hunt Published

Deals This could be the PC upgrade you've been waiting for.

Deals
Three gaming computer towers are displayed with colorful fans against a futuristic city background, featuring the text: "Less $$$ than Steam Machine."
These gaming PCs from $849 are a way better value than the Steam Machine

By Cale Hunt Published

Deals NVIDIA RTX and Intel Arc gaming PCs are on sale for a limited time during Prime Day.

4 Comments
Deals
Steam's AI disclosure on the Black Ops 7 store page, with Futurama's Fry character squinting at the text.
Does using AI in games hurt sales? A new study attempted to find out.

By Cale Hunt Published

PC gaming Amateur developers might be able to make a quick buck, but established studios are seeing serious declines when using AI during development.

64 Comments
PC gaming
A split-image showing an MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ handheld gaming console displaying a game character and a Nintendo Switch home screen with various game icons.
What our readers really think about PC handheld prices and Nintendo’s approach

By Cale Hunt Published

Community PC gaming handhelds might not be dead, but the market certainly isn't thriving.

Community
A split image showing a man in a red puffer jacket with a yellow background in two poses, alongside a tech setup featuring an LED-lit motherboard and server racks filled with cables.
Gaming subscriptions are rising and ownership is disappearing with them

By Cale Hunt Published

PC Gaming I take a look at the history of high-seas gaming and where the ship is likely headed next.

17 Comments
PC Gaming
An animated scene from "Age of Empires II" featuring battles between blue and red soldiers near a wooden bridge over a river, with medieval buildings in the background. Text overlays read, "Is Age of Empires II human?"
An AI researcher set out to prove that Age of Empires 2 is just as human-like as AI

By Cale Hunt Published

AI Who thought a real-time strategy game from 1999 would shake up the AI research world?

AI
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